A self-study is required for institutions seeking accreditation of their clinical chemistry program(s) from the Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry (COMACC). The material included in the self-study needs to be as complete as possible to expedite review by the commissioner. The following material should be addressed in the self-study.
- Perspective:
The program’s mission, objectives, accomplishments and future plans should be described.
- Program organization:
The place of the program in the administrative framework of the institution, including the institution’s or department’s role in budgeting and student affairs should be clearly identified.
- Trainee selection:
Trainee selection includes the degree and/or experience requirements for trainees to be admitted to the program, the material required for application, (curriculum vitae, letters of reference, etc.) and the manner in which they are selected (interviews, review process, etc.).
- Program structure:
The structure of the program should be described in detail including the manner in which trainees spend their time in the program in its rationale. This should include details of courses, rotations through the clinical chemistry laboratory, seminars, etc. The exact method of breaking down the trainee’s time is left to the applicant by the breakdown must be sufficient to allow the commissioners to understand how the trainee spends his/her time throughout the entire period of training, and what is learned at each stage. If courses are required then the description of the course should be given in reasonable detail. If seminars are required, a schedule of topics should be provided including the role of the trainee. All required conferences should be identified with topics covered and typical schedules included. If the program grants a degree, the requirements should be detailed and copies of the appropriate graduate school bulleting or catalog should be included with the self-study. Details of how training in management (personnel, budget, etc.) and clinical utility are accomplished must be specified. If other training programs in related areas also exist e.g. pathology residency, medical technology, describe how the trainee interacts with those enrolled in the related programs.
- Trainee evaluation:
Describe how the progress of the trainee is evaluated including the frequency of evaluation and the manner by which the results of the evaluation are revealed to the trainee.
- Faculty profile:
Include the curriculum vitaes of all instructional personnel with a clear indication of their time allocation in the program. Particular attention should be given to the background, expertise and certifications of the program director(s). The director or co-director of doctoral and postdoctoral training programs must be certified by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry if the trainees of the accredited program are to be granted special status by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry.
- Facilities and resources profile:
A description should be provided of the approximate space allocation for offices, research and/or development laboratories, teaching space and clinical facilities relevant to the training program. Library resources and technical support should also be described. The clinical facilities utilized for the program should be described in detail including tests performed and instruments utilized. If these facilities are not under direct control of the program director(s) then the nature of the institutional agreements for access to these facilities must be discussed in detail.
- Student profile:
The curriculum vitaes of all current trainees should be included. A list of all past trainees and the years they were in the program should also be submitted along with their present positions and addresses if known.
Please indicate the certifying status of past training:
- Certified (indicate which certifying body).
- Certification pending (e.g. exam taken, etc.).
- No certification.
Eight copies of the completed self-study along with a covering letter including the names, titles, addresses, phone numbers and signatures of the program directors and responsible institutional officials e.g. hospital administrator, department chairman, and dean.
Acknowledging the request for accreditation should be sent to.The cover letter should also authorize COMACC to provide the final evaluation report to the National Registry of Clinical Chemistry should the program desire special status for its trainees by the National Registry of Clinical Chemistry. The application must be accompanied by an application fee of $300 ($50 additional for each additional program included in the same self-study). A further fee of $1500 will be assessed when the program is site-visited ($300 for each additional program on the same site-visit). Accreditation actions will be communicated to the program director and responsible institutional officials as soon as the Commission has completed its evaluation.
